Miami Personal Injury Settlement Calculator
Miami-Dade Circuit Court + federal maritime for cruise ship. HB 837 (March 2023) dramatically changed landscape: 51% bar, 2-yr SOL (from 4), tightened bad faith. Cruise ship 6-mo/1-yr contract deadlines
Last reviewed: April 2026
⚠ Miami POST-HB 837 (March 2023): 51% BAR + 2-yr SOL (from 4) + tightened bad faith. Cruise ship claims: 6-mo claim, 1-yr suit per ticket contract (Miami-Dade venue).
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
Miami Personal Injury — Post HB 837
Miami-Dade County Circuit Court (11th Judicial Circuit) + federal maritime (Southern District of Florida) for cruise ship claims. Most major cruise carriers (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian) contractually require suit in Miami-Dade.
HB 837 (March 24, 2023) MAJOR IMPACT: (1) SOL reduced from 4 to 2 years. (2) PURE → MODIFIED comparative fault — plaintiffs >50% at fault recover NOTHING (pre-HB 837 even 99%-at-fault got 1%). (3) Insurer response time extended 30→90 days (reduces early settlement leverage). (4) Bad-faith liability tightened. (5) LOPs (letters of protection — common in Miami) face more scrutiny.
Cruise ship liability: 28 U.S.C. §1333 admiralty jurisdiction. Most cruise lines require claim presentation within 6 months + suit within 1 year per ticket contract. Jones Act for crew injuries. Gov entity cap: $200K per person / $300K per occurrence (§768.28); higher requires legislative claims bill. Settlement ranges 2025: general PI moderate $50K-$200K (HB 837 compressed early offers); slip/fall tourist $50K-$500K; cruise ship injury $100K-$2M+; hotel liability $100K-$1M+; wrongful death $500K-$3M+.
Miami Personal Injury FAQs
How much is a personal injury settlement worth in Miami?
Minor $15K-$75K. Moderate $75K-$300K. HB 837 has reduced early insurer offers + compressed settlement ranges since 2023. Serious injuries still command high verdicts at trial.
How did Florida HB 837 change my case?
You now have only 2 years (down from 4) to file. If jury finds you >50% at fault = ZERO recovery. Insurers have 90 days (up from 30) to respond + face less bad-faith risk — reducing early settlement pressure.
How do I sue a cruise ship company in Miami?
Check your ticket for venue clause (almost always Miami-Dade) + contractual claim/suit deadline (typically 6 months claim / 1 year suit). File in federal court under admiralty jurisdiction OR Miami-Dade state court depending on theory.
What's the SOL for PI in Miami?
2 years for general negligence (post-March 24, 2023, HB 837). Pre-2023 injuries: 4-year SOL still applies. Cruise ship: 1 year per ticket contract. Gov entities: 3-year SOL but Risk Management notice recommended within 6 months.
How long do Miami PI cases take?
Pre-trial 12-24 months. Trial 3-5 years. Miami-Dade court dockets heavily loaded.
Do I need a local Miami attorney?
YES. HB 837 strategy, cruise line maritime law, §768.28 governmental claim procedure are specialized practice areas. Miami plaintiff bar has decades of experience with cruise + tourist injury cases.
Are there damage caps in Miami?
Private defendants: NO cap for compensatory damages. Punitive: greater of 3× compensatory or $500K (§768.73). Gov entities: $200K/person, $300K/occurrence (§768.28). Requires legislative claims bill for higher amounts.
Is Miami still good venue for PI cases post-HB 837?
Yes but changed. Still-favorable jury demographics. Clear-liability cases remain high-value. Mixed-fault cases riskier under 51% bar. Cruise ship + maritime cases largely unchanged (federal rules). Tourist-injury cases (hotel, Uber, rideshare) now harder — consult counsel immediately for any post-2023 injury.